Critical Security Parameter Generation and Exchange System and Method for Smart-Card Memory Modules

ABSTRACT

A storage device contains a smart-card device and a memory device, which is connected to a controller. The storage device may be used in the same manner as a conventional smart-card device, or it may be used to store a relatively large amount of data. The memory device may also be used to store data or instructions for use by the smart-card device. The controller includes a security engine that uses critical security parameters stored in, and received from, the smart-card device. The critical security parameters may be sent to the controller in a manner that protects them from being discovered. The critical security parameters may be encryption and/or decryption keys that may encrypt data written to the memory device and/or decrypt data read from the memory device, respectively. Data and instructions used by the smart-card device may therefore stored in the memory device in encrypted form.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to smart-carddevices, and, more particularly, to modules containing smart-carddevices and memory devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chip cards or integrated circuit cards, both of which are commonly knownas smart-cards, TPM (trusted platform Module) ICs, or the like, aredevices with an embedded integrated circuit, such as a processor and/orlimited capacity, non-volatile memory device. The memory device may bean EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) or thelike, and it may store an operating system for the processor as well assmart-card applications, such as electronic banking applications,telephone applications in the case of SIM (subscriber identity module)smart-cards, or the like. The memory device may also store userauthentication protocols, personalization data, such as telephone orbank account data or the like, user data, such as financial data or thelike, private data, such as private keys and/or certificates used invarious encryption techniques, etc. User data may be secured using a PIN(personal identification number) or a password as an access controlmeasure. In order to access the protected data stored in the card'smemory device, a user must be authenticated by providing the correct PINor password.

Although smart-card integrated devices often contain memory devices, asmentioned above the capacity of such memory devices is often verylimited. Therefore, smart-card devices with larger and more costlyembedded integrated memory may be needed in order to meet a demand forincreased storage capacity for storing additional and/or more complexapplications, user data, etc.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustration of a prior art integratedcircuit, such as an integrated smart-card device 100, a SIM card, anelectronic transaction card, an electronic identification card, atrusted platform Module (“TPM”), or the like, of the prior art. Acentral processing unit (“CPU”) 105 is embedded in smart-card device 100and may include a processor 110 and an integrated random access memory(“RAM”) 120, a non-volatile memory 115, such as an EEPROM or flashmemory, and a read only memory (“ROM”) 125. The processor 110 mayinclude a cryptography engine 126, such as an advanced encryption system(“AES”) encryption engine, as a portion of access control circuitry ofCPU 105, that can perform AES protocols, user authentication protocols,such as Public Key Infrastructure (“PKI”) authentication, encryption anddecryption of data, etc. An input/output interface 127 is incommunication with the CPU 105 and may be a USB (universal serial bus)interface for connecting directly to a host, such as a personalcomputer, a contactless interface, an ISO 7816 interface for use with anISO 7816 card reader, etc. The ROM 125 typically stores the operatingsystem of smart-card device 100. The smart-card device 100 may alsoinclude a file management system 130 that may be used to manage theaddress space of the non-volatile memory 115, and a key managementsystem 135 for managing and storing one or more encryption and/ordecryption keys, such as one or more AES encryption and/or decryptionkeys or the like. The non-volatile memory 115 or the key managementsystem 135 may store private keys, certificates that may include publickeys as part of public/private key encryption, applications, such aselectronic banking applications, telephone applications, etc. Thenon-volatile memory 115 may further include upgrades or patches for thesmart-card operating system.

During operation, the smart-card device 100 is placed in communicationwith a host via a card reader, for example. An identifier, such as PINor password, is input into the host by as user. The reader may then passthe user-entered identifier on to the smart-card device 100 forverification so that the smart-card can authenticate the user. Thesmart-card device 100 then indicates to the host that the user is eitherauthenticated or not authenticated. Alternatively, the smart-card device100 may be in direct communication with the host via a USB interface,for example. In which case, the identifier is input into the host and isthen passed directly to the smart-card device 100 via the USB interfacefor authentication of the user. After user authentication, the processor110 either decrypts data from the non-volatile memory 115 for output tothe host, or it encrypts data received from the host for storage in thenon-volatile memory 115, e.g., using one or more encryption and/ordecryption keys, such as AES keys, from the key management system 135.

Although the smart-card device 100 includes the non-volatile memory 115,the capacity of the memory 115 is normally very limited. Therefore,larger and more costly embedded integrated memory may be needed in orderto meet a demand for increased storage capacity for storing additionaland/or more complex applications, user data, etc. This could be providedby including a separate non-volatile memory device packaged with, andcoupled to, the smart-card device 100. However, although it may berelatively easy to protect data stored in the memory 115 of thesmart-card device 100, it is substantially more difficult to protectdata by encryption or other means if the data are stored in a separatememory device that is packaged with the smart-card. In part, thedifficulty of protecting data stored in a separate memory device is dueto the fact protection algorithms and the cryptography keys that arenormally used by such algorithms reside in the smart-card device 100. Itmay be possible to obtain access to interconnections between thesmart-card device 100 and the memory device, which would allow theinterconnections to be probed to obtain the signals coupled between thesmart-card device 100 and memory device. A knowledge of these signal canallow a third party to obtain access to the otherwise protected data.Additionally, it may be difficult to protect an external memory againstintrusion to the same extend that smart-card devices can and commonlyare protected against intrusion and tampering. For example, smartcard-devices typically include integrated sensors that protect againstphysical attacks, such as tampering with the device trying to extractinformation from it will cause the device to malfunction.

There is therefore a need for a system and method for protecting datastored in an integrated memory device that is packaged with a smart-carddevice to provide a smart-card having a large capacity of protected datastorage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a prior art integratedsmart-card device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a storage device according to an embodimentof the invention in which an integrated smart-card device and a memorydevice are connected to each other and an access port through acontroller.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a storage device according to anotherembodiment of the invention in which an integrated smart-card device anda controller that is connected to a memory device are connected to eachother and an access port through an input/output interface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustration of a storage device 200, e.g., asmart storage device, according to an embodiment of the invention. Manyof the components used in the storage device 200 are the same orsubstantially the same as components are used in the smart-card device100 shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, in the interest of brevity, anexplanation of these components will not be repeated, and the samereference numerals will be used in FIG. 2. The storage device 200 mayinclude a smart-card device 205 having components similar to those ofsmart-card device 100, such as access control circuitry and integratedmemory, e.g., for authenticating a user to storage device 200, storingand managing one or more encryption and/or decryption keys, such as AESkeys, private keys, etc. Although the term “smart-card” device may beused herein to describe all of the components shown in the smart-carddevice 205 of FIG. 2, it will be understood that various components maybe omitted without preventing the smart-card device 205 from functioningas a smart-card device.

Storage device 200 may include a separate controller 210, such as amemory controller, e.g., a flash memory controller, through whichsignals are coupled between an access port 212 and the smart-card device205. In one embodiment, the smart-card device 205 and the controller 210may be integrated separately on separate chips disposed on a circuitboard.

In the storage device 200 embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the controller 210includes a security engine 215, such as cryptography engine, e.g., anAES cryptography engine. The controller 210 may include space managementsector system 220 to manage the address space of a non-volatile memorydevice 250 with which the controller 210 is connected, and it mayinclude an error correction engine 225, for correcting any dataretention errors that may be present in data read from the memory device250. In one embodiment, the memory device 250 is integrated separatelyon a separate chip from the smart-card device 205 and the controller210, although the memory device 250, smart-card device 205 andcontroller 210 are packaged together in, for example, a package similarto a USB flash drive or a credit card. The nature of the access port 212will depend upon the nature of the other device with which it is used.The access port 212 may be an electronic port, such as a USB connector,a magnetic signal port, such as the type commonly used in access controlcards, an optical port, a wireless port, or any other type of port thatcan allow communication between the storage device 200 and anotherdevice.

The non-volatile memory device 250 may be a flash memory device, e.g., aNAND flash memory device, and it is connected to the controller 210 viaan input/output interface 252, such as a flash memory interface. Theinput/output interface 252 may include a combined command/address bus,and a bi-directional data bus, as is typical for flash memory devices.The interface 252 may, of course, use other types of communicationslinks, such as a high-speed link with one or more lanes through whichall signals are coupled, or a more conventional memory device bus systemincluding a command bus through which memory commands are coupled fromthe controller 210 to the memory device 250, an address bus throughwhich addresses are coupled from the controller 210 to the memory device250, and a data bus over which write data are transmitted from thecontroller 210 to the memory device 250 and read data are received bythe controller 210 from the memory device 250.

The memory device 250 may be divided into a plurality of partitions,such as a private data partition 254, which may or may not be accessibleto a user, and a user data partition 256, which is accessible to theuser. In one embodiment, the private data partition 254 may include afirmware partition 258 that contains firmware for controlling operationson a memory array of the memory device 250 in response to control andaddress signals from the controller 210. In another embodiment, theprivate data portion 254 may include an applications partition 268 thatstores smart-card applications, such as electronic transactionapplications, electronic banking applications, telephone applications,etc., that might otherwise be stored in the non-volatile memory 115 ofthe smart-card device 205. Storing smart-card applications in the memorydevice 250 instead of in the non-volatile memory 115 facilitates areduction of the memory requirements of the non-volatile memory 115 andthus the size of the non-volatile memory 115 that would otherwise berequired when these applications are stored in the smart-card device205. In addition, storing smart-card applications in the memory device250 enables the storage of larger and more sophisticated smart-cardapplications and the storage of a larger number of applications comparedto when smart-card applications are stored in the non-volatile memory115 of the smart-card device 205. In one embodiment, the applicationsmay be stored in the memory device 250 during fabrication of the memorydevice 250. In another embodiment, the applications data and/or otherdata may be encrypted before they are stored in the memory device 250.For this reason, the user data partition 256 may be partitioned into anencrypted data partition 262 storing data in encrypted form, and aunencrypted data partition 264 storing data in unencrypted form.

During operation, the cryptography engine 126 of the smart-card device205 may be used for user authentication. Critical Security Parameter's(“CSP's”), such as encryption and/or decryption keys for use by thesecurity engine 215, may be stored in the memory device 115 of thesmart-card device 205. Alternatively, the processor 110 may run anapplication that generates CSP's, either by itself or based on CSP'sstored in the memory device 115 or the key management system 135. TheCSP's may also be a type of security information other than anencryption and/or decryption key, such as a password or certificate. Ifthe CSP's are encryption and/or decryption keys, they may be eithersymmetric keys in which the same key is used for both encryption anddecryption, or they may be asymmetric keys, in which different keys areused for encryption and decryption. The controller 210 may receive oneor more of the CSP's from the smart-card device 205 for use by thesecurity engine 215. The CSP's may be transferred to the controller 210in a protected manner, as described in greater detail below, so theCSP's cannot be ascertained by someone obtaining access to internalcommunications paths in the storage device 200.

According to one embodiment, the storage device 200 may be incommunication with a host 260. The host 260 may be, for example, apersonal computer. Alternatively, the host 260 may be a card reader orsome other device that is in communication with a personal computer orother device. An identifier, such as a user PIN or password, may beinput to the host 260, and the host may transmit the identifier to thesmart-card device 205 for verification to authenticate the user. Thesmart-card device 205 may then transmit a verification signal to thehost 260 indicating whether or not the identifier is correct and thuswhether or not the user is authenticated. In one embodiment, the storagedevice 200 may be operated with controller 210 in the bypass mode sothat data can be stored in the memory device 250 without requiringauthentication of the user. In another embodiment, there are differentlevels of authentication, such as a user and an administrator. Anadministrator enters his or her identifier, and is allowed access all ofthe functions in the storage device 200. A user enters his or heridentifier, and is allowed access to a more limited set of functions inthe storage device 200. In response to recognizing an administratoridentifier, the smart-card device 205 may transmit one type ofverification signal to the host 260. In response to recognizing a useridentifier, the smart-card device 205 may transmit another type ofverification signal to the host 260. Regardless of how the host 260operates with the controller 210, the 210 is configured so that it willnot allow commands from the host 260 to retrieve CSP's from thesmart-card device 205. Any such commands sent by the host 260 to thesmart-card device 205 will be intercepted by the controller 210 andblocked from reaching the smart-card device 205. Instead, the controller210 will send an unsuccessful or failed status back to the host 260. Ingeneral, CSP's are not permitted to leave the storage device 200. Infact, particularly secure CSP's, such as private keys, may not even bepermitted to leave the smart-card device 205. As a result, any functionrequiring the use of the private key will be executed by the processor110 in the smart-card device 205.

In one embodiment, the controller 210 monitors the transmissions betweenthe host 260 and the smart-card device 205 and detects whether or notthe identifier coupled through the controller 210 to the smart-carddevice 205 is correct and thus whether or not the user is authenticated.After the authentication, the smart-card device 205 may send the CSPstored in the smart-card device 205 to the controller 210. If thesmart-card device 205 has not accepted the identifier, it may beinhibited from sending the CSP to the controller 210. In anotherembodiment, the smart-card device 205 does not send the CSP to thecontroller 210 until the controller 210 requests it. In such case, thecontroller 210 may detect the verification signal from the smart-carddevice 205 and then send the request to the smart-card device 205. Inresponse, the smart-card device 205 will send the CSP, such as anencryption and/or decryption key, to the controller 210. However, thesmart-card device 205 will send the CSP to the controller 210 inresponse to the request only if it has determined that a user has beenauthenticated. As a result, someone cannot obtain the CSP's by injectinga request for the CSP's on the connections between the smart-card device205 and the controller 210 since the smart-card device will not providethe CSP's. As explained in greater detail below, the security engine 215in the controller 210 will then use the CSP for a security function. Ifthe storage device 200 is configured to allow different levels ofaccess, the controller 210 may detect different types of verificationsignals as they are transmitted by the smart-card device 205 to the host260. The controller 210 then enables functions corresponding to thelevel of access granted.

If the CSP is an encryption key, the security engine 215 may be acryptography engine that will encrypt data received from through theaccess port 212 and stored in the memory device 250. The data will thenbe stored in the memory device 250, such as in the encrypted datapartition 264 of the memory device 250. In such case, the cryptographyengine that will also receive from the smart-card device 205 adecryption key that it will use to decrypt data read the memory device250 so that the date will be output from the access port 212 inunencrypted form. The security engine 215 thus performs encryptionand/or decryption using the one or more encryption and/or decryptionkeys from the smart-card device 205 independently of the cryptographyengine 126 in the smart-card device 205.

The CSP's sent from smart-card device 205 to controller 210 may be sentto the controller 210 in unencrypted form. However, doing so may makethem discoverable by probing the connections between the smart-carddevice 205 and the controller 210. To prevent this from occurring, theCSP's may be encrypted by the cryptography engine 126 in the smart-carddevice 205 using a key from the key management system 135 before theyare sent to the controller 210. The security engine 215 in thecontroller 210 can then use a key internally stored in the controller210 to decrypt the encrypted key to obtain an unencrypted key that thesecurity engine 215 will use to encrypt data transmitted to the memorydevice 250 and/or decrypt data received from the memory device 250. As aresult, the unencrypted key will be undiscoverable even if someoneobtains access to the connections between the smart-card device 205 andthe controller 210.

In some embodiments, the processor 110 in the smart-card device 205 mayrun the smart-card applications stored in the applications partition 268or elsewhere in the memory device 250. The applications may be stored inthe memory device 250 in either encrypted or unencrypted form. If theapplications are to be stored in encrypted form, they may be decryptedby the security engine 215 in the controller 210 using a key receivedfrom the smart-card device 205 in a protected manner, such as when auser's password is determined to be correct. The controller 210 thentransmits the unencrypted applications to the smart-card device 205 forstorage in the RAM 120 from where they are executed by the processor110. In another embodiment, the controller 210 may be operated in thebypass mode, which places smart-card device 205 in direct communicationwith memory device 250, so that the processor 110 in the smart-carddevice 205 can run one or more smart-card applications 260 directly fromthe memory device 250.

In another embodiment, private data, such as smart-card applicationsstored in the applications partition 268 and/or updates to firmwarestored in the firmware partition 258, may be downloaded from the host260 when the host 260 is in communication with the Internet, forexample. The private data may include an identifier, such as a password,digest or signed digest, that is authenticated at the smart-card device205. For example, the host 260 may transmit the identifier for theprivate data to the smart-card device 205, and the smart-card device 205may determine whether or not the identifier is correct.

In another embodiment, the storage device 200 stores a private key thatis used to authenticate the sender of an e-mail. The sender uses apersonal computer acting as the host 260 for the storage device 200 todraft an e-mail, and the personal computer generates a “digest,” whichis a relatively small set of bits that are unique to the specific textin the e-mail. For example, the digest may be a 16-bit word. Thesender's private key is stored in either the non-volatile memory 115 orkey management system 135 of the smart-card device 205 of the storagedevice 200. Less desirably, the private key may be stored in the memorydevice 250 in encrypted form. The storage device 200 is connected to thepersonal computer (host 260), such as by plugging the storage device 200into a USB port of the personal computer. The smart-card device 205 thenauthenticates the user and sends the digest to the smart-card device205. The processor 110 uses the key stored in the memory device 115 orthe key management system 135 to encrypt the digest to generate anencrypted digest, or signature. If the private key was stored in thememory device 250 in encrypted form, the controller 210 reads theencrypted private key from the encrypted data partition 262 of thememory device 250, and sends it to the smart-card device 205 where it isdecrypted and used by the processor 110 to generate a signature. thesecurity engine 215 may use the decrypted the private key to obtain theunencrypted private key. Regardless of how the signature is generated,it is then sent back to the personal computer 260 and is embedded in thee-mail sent by the personal computer.

When the e-mail is received by a recipient, the recipient may need toverify that the e-mail was actually sent by the person who purportedlysend it. The recipient's personal computer obtains the sender's publickey, such as from a directory or from the e-mail itself if the senderincluded it, and uses the public key to decrypt the signature receivedwith the e-mail to obtain the digest of the e-mail. The recipient'spersonal computer also generates a digest from the received e-mail andcompares it to the digest obtained from the signature. If the digestsmatch, the identity of the sender has been verified. If the e-mail wassent by an imposter, the digest generated from the signature will notmatch the digest generated from the e-mail.

In another embodiment, the controller 210 may permit access to differentpartitions in the memory device depending on the level of access itgrants. For example, an administrator may be permitted to read from andwrite to the applications partition 268 as well as both user datapartitions 256, while a user may be permitted to access only the userdata partitions 256.

In some embodiments, the CSP's that the controller 210 receives from thesmart-card device 205 may be “session keys,” which are encryption and/ordecryption keys that change each time the storage device 200 is used oraccording to some other schedule. The processor 110 in the smart-carddevice 205 may run an application to generate the session keys. Inanother embodiment, the controller 210 generates each session key, whichis used by the security engine 215.

Another embodiment of a storage device 300 is shown in FIG. 3. Many ofthe components used in the storage device 300 are the same orsubstantially the same as components are used in the smart-card device200 shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, in the interest of brevity, anexplanation of these components will not be repeated, and the samereference numerals will be used in FIG. 3. The storage device 300differs from the storage device 200 by using an input/output (“I/O”)interface 310 to couple the access port 212 to both the smart-carddevice 205 and the controller 210 instead of using the controller 210 tocouple the access port 212 to the smart-card device 205. The I/Ointerface 310 is used to route signals between the Smart-Card device 205and the access port 212 in the same manner that the I/O interface 127 inthe storage device 100 of FIG. 1 is used. The I/O interface 310 is alsoused to couple the CSP's from the smart-card device 205 to thecontroller 210, and it may also perform other functions that thecontroller 210 in the storage device 200 of FIG. 2 performed based onmonitoring signals transmitted between the smart-card device 205 and theaccess port 212. For example, the I/O interface 310 may monitor andcouple to the controller 210 identifiers transmitted from the accessport 212 to the smart-card device 205, as explained above. The I/Ointerface 310 may also couple to the controller 210 the verificationsignals generated by the smart-card device 205 as also explained above.The I/O interface 310 will then route the resulting CSP requests fromthe controller 210 to the smart-card device 205. In other embodiments,the I/O interface 310 will apply appropriate signals to the controller210 corresponding to specific signals it monitors and detects being sentto or from the smart-card device 205. For example, rather that passingon to the controller 210 verification signals received from thesmart-card device 205, it may generate and send signals to thecontroller 210 corresponding to the verification signals.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specificembodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes ofillustration, various modifications may be made without deviating fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the term “smart-carddevice” may include a device containing all of the components in thesmart-card device 205. However, various components may be omitted from adevice without preventing the device from being considered a smart-carddevice. For example, the RAM 120 and the ROM 125 may be omitted, and thedata that would normally be stored in both the RAM 120 and the ROM 125may be stored in the memory device 115. Additionally, the file system130, key management system 135 and cryptography engine 126 may beomitted. A smart-card device will generally have some type of processor,which need not be a full-features processor such as a microprocessor. Areduced capability processor, such as a controller, may be used in someembodiments. A smart-card device will generally also have some type ofnon-volatile storage, such as the memory device 115. However, thestorage need not be separate from the processor 110 and may, in someembodiments, be integrated in the processor 110. Accordingly, theinvention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

1. A storage device, comprising: an access port; an integrated first device coupled to the access port and being operable to output at least one critical security parameter, the first device comprising: an integrated processor; and a first non-volatile memory device integrated with the processor; an integrated controller packaged with the first device and coupled to the first device and to the access port, the controller being in selective communication with the first device and the access port, the controller being operable to receive from the first device the at least one critical security parameter, the controller including a security engine operable to perform a security function using the at least one of critical security parameter received from the first device; and a second non-volatile memory device packaged with the first device and the controller but integrated separately from the first device, the memory device being coupled to the controller and being operable to receive data from the controller and write the received data in the memory device and to read data from the memory device and transmit the read data to the controller.
 2. The storage device of claim 1 wherein the processor is operable to receive an identifier from the access port, the processor being operable to use at least one critical security parameter to test the validity of the identifier, the first device being operable to inhibit transmission to the controller of the at least one critical security parameter until the processor has determined that the identifier is valid.
 3. The storage device of claim 2 wherein the processor is operable to transmit a validation signal to the controller responsive to determining that the identifier is valid and is further operable to transmit to the controller the at least one critical security parameter responsive to receiving a request signal, and wherein the controller is operable to transmit the request signal to the first device responsive to receiving the validation signal.
 4. The storage device of claim 3 wherein the second memory device is divided into first and second partitions, and wherein the controller is operable to allow access to the first partition of the second memory device only if the controller has received the validation signal, and wherein the controller is operable to allow access to the second partition of the second memory device regardless of whether the controller has received the validation signal.
 5. The storage device of claim 1 wherein the at least one critical security parameter comprises a cryptography key, and wherein the security engine comprises a cryptography engine using the cryptography key to either encrypt data received from the access port and transmitted to the memory device or to decrypt data received from the memory device and transmitted to the access port.
 6. The storage device of claim 5 wherein the cryptography key comprises a symmetric key, and wherein the symmetric key is used to encrypt data received from the access port and transmitted to the memory device and to decrypt data received from the memory device and transmitted to the access port.
 7. The storage device of claim 5 wherein the cryptography key comprises asymmetric encryption and decryption keys, and wherein the encryption key is used to encrypt data received from the access port and transmitted to the memory device and the decryption key is used to decrypt data received from the memory device and transmitted to the access port.
 8. The storage device of claim 5 wherein the first device is operable to generate a session key that changes as the storage device is used and to provide each session key to the controller, and wherein the controller uses each session key to either encrypt data received from the access port and transmitted to the memory device or to decrypt data received from the memory device and transmitted to the access port.
 9. The storage device of claim 5 wherein the first device is operable to provide the cryptography key to the controller in encrypted form, wherein the controller contains a key decryption key, and wherein the cryptography engine in the processor is operable to use the key decryption key to decrypt the encrypted key to provide a decrypted key, and wherein the cryptography engine in the processor is operable to use the decrypted key to either encrypt data received from the access port and transmitted to the memory device or to decrypt data received from the memory device and transmitted to the access port.
 10. The storage device of claim 1 wherein the at least one critical security parameter is stored in the first memory device.
 11. The storage device of claim 1 wherein the processor is operable to execute an application that is operable to generate the at least one critical security parameter.
 12. A method of storing data in a data storage device, comprising: outputting a critical security parameter from a first device, the first device being integrated separately from the data storage device but being packaged with the data storage device; sending the critical security parameter from first device to a data storage device in a protected manner; and using the critical security parameter to protect the data stored in the storage device.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the act of sending the critical security parameter from first device to the data storage device in a protected manner comprises: sending the critical security parameter from first device to the data storage device in encrypted form; and decrypting the encrypted critical security parameter in the data storage device before using the critical security parameter to protect data stored in the storage device.
 14. The method of claim 12 wherein the act of sending the critical security parameter from first device to the data storage device in a protected manner comprises: providing an identifier to the first device; examining the identifier in the first device to validate the identifier; and sending the critical security parameter from first device to the data storage device only if the identifier has been validated.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of sending the critical security parameter from first device to the data storage device only if the identifier has been validated comprises: sending a validation signal from the first device to the data storage device responsive to the first device determining that the identifier is valid; receiving the validation signal at the data storage device; in response to the data storage device receiving the validation signal, sending a request to the first device; receiving the request at the first device; and in response to the first device receiving the request, sending the critical security parameter to the data storage device.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein: the act of providing an identifier to the first device comprises providing a plurality of identifiers to the first device that are different from each other; the act of examining the identifier in the first device to validate the identifier comprises determining which of the plurality of identifiers has been provided to the first device; and the act of sending the critical security parameter from first device to the data storage device only if the identifier has been validated comprises sending different critical security parameters from the first device to the data storage device corresponding to respective ones of the different identifiers provided to the first device.
 17. The method of claim 12 wherein the act of outputting a critical security parameter from a first device comprises: storing the critical security parameter in a memory device in the first device; reading the critical security parameter from the memory device; and outputting the read critical security parameter from the first device.
 18. The method of claim 12 wherein the act of outputting a critical security parameter from a first device comprises: using a processor in the first device to run an application to generate the critical security parameter; and outputting the generated critical security parameter from the first device.
 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the act of using a processor in the first device to run an application to generate the critical security parameter comprises generating different critical security parameters during respective sessions of storing data in the data storage device.
 20. A method of storing data in a storage device, comprising: transmitting data from an access port to a controller that is packaged with and connected to the storage device; transmitting the data from the controller to the data storage device; outputting a cryptography key from a first device that is integrated separately from the data storage device but is packaged with the data storage device; receiving the cryptography key output from first device at the controller; within the controller, using the cryptography key to either encrypt data received from the access port and transmitted from the controller to a data storage device or to decrypt data received from the data storage device and transmitted to the access port, the data storage device being integrated separately from the first device but packaged with the first device and the controller; writing the data transmitted from the controller to the data storage device in the data storage device; and reading the stored data that is received by the controller from the data storage device.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the data storage device is divided into first and second partitions, and wherein the method further comprises: providing one of a plurality of different identifiers to the first device; examining the identifier in the first device to validate the identifier and determine which of the plurality of different identifiers has been provided; providing information to the controller specifying which of the identifiers has been provided; at the controller, allowing access to only the first partition of the data storage device if the provided identifier is a first identifier; and at the controller, allowing access to both the first partition of the data storage device and the second partition of the data storage device if the provided identifier is a second identifier.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein the first partition comprises a partition that stores unencrypted data and the second partition comprises a partition that stored encrypted data.
 23. The method of claim 21 wherein the act of outputting a cryptography key from a first device comprises outputting a cryptography key from a first device only if the identifier has been validated.
 24. A method of operating a processor, comprising: storing application instructions in a data storage device in encrypted form; sending a decryption key from the first device to a second device that is connected to the first device and to the data storage device, the first device containing the processor and being integrated separately from the data storage device but packaged with the data storage device and the second device; transferring the encrypted application instructions from the data storage device to the second device; in the second device, using the decryption key to decrypt the encrypted application instructions to provide decrypted application instructions; sending the decrypted application instructions from the second device to the first device; and executing the decrypted application instructions using the processor in the first device.
 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the act of sending a decryption key from the first device to a second device comprises: providing an identifier to the first device; examining the identifier in the first device to validate the identifier; and if the identifier has been validated, sending the decryption key from the first device to the second device. 